Map effects

The effect tool puts particle effects on the map — the campfire actually burning, smoke pouring from a doorway, rain falling across the courtyard. Open it from the toolbar (Effect Tool) or press E.

Pick a ready-made effect, click the map to drop it, then tune it while it’s running. Everything you change appears on everyone’s screen straight away.

Not the same as lighting effects

This tool spawns particles — visible motes of fire, smoke or rain. It doesn’t cast light. The flicker, gobo and colour work that makes a torch feel like a torch lives with the lights, on lighting presets and effects. Most campfires want both.

In this section

Placing effects

Add, name, move, duplicate and delete effects on the map. Place an effect →

The effect library

Every ready-made effect, by category, and what each one is good for. Browse the library →

Keeping effects in a space

Rain in the courtyard but not inside the inn. Mask an effect →

Tuning an effect

Intensity, colour, size, speed and direction — all live. Tune it →

Building your own

Stack behaviours to make something the library doesn’t have. Go deeper →

Who can use it

The effect tool is on the toolbar for GMs and players — anyone at the table can throw a puff of smoke — but effects belong to the scene, so anything placed is saved with it and comes back next session.

Related

• Lighting presets and effects — the light-side counterpart.
• Drawing on the map — making the shapes you mask effects to.
• Building the map — the rest of the map tools.